Various types of sunroof apparatuses, which open and close an opening portion formed at a roof of a vehicle by a sliding panel, have been conventionally suggested, for example as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication 2001-163059 (FIGS. 1-10) and in Japanese Utility Model Publication 1(1989)-122318 (FIGS. 1-12). The panel associated with this type of sunroof apparatus is provided with sliding members freely slidably supported by a pair of guide rails that are arranged at both lateral sides of the opening portion of the roof. The opening portion of the roof is opened and closed in response to slidable movements of the sliding members of the panel along the guide rails.
In the sunroof apparatus disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Publication 2001-163059, each sliding member is in pressure-contact with the guide rail at a time of sliding thereon and includes a pair of flexible portions supported substantially in a cantilevered structure relative to a main body. This type of structure may result in a less elastic reaction force of each flexible portion. In such circumstances, for example when a vehicle vibration is created, there is a problem that the flexible portions cannot act sufficiently to support the panel, which may cause occurrences of looseness or abnormal noises. Moreover, such less elastic reaction forces of the flexible portions may lead to reduced endurance lives.
On the other hand, in the sunroof apparatus disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Utility Model Publication 1(1989)-122318, each sliding member, which comes in pressure-contact with the guide rail at a time of sliding thereon, includes a flexible portion which is supported in a doubly supported structure. This type of structure may result in an increased elastic reaction force of the flexible portion. In such circumstances, such increased elastic reaction force of the flexible portion may lead to a deterioration of an assembling performance of the sliding member to the guide rail. Moreover, there is a problem that a vehicle vibration applied to the sliding member may overreach a durability of the sliding member or the flexible portion and that the flexible portion may broken at its fixed ends, i.e., at its portions where the flexible portion is connected to the frame body.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a sunroof apparatus which can restrain occurrences of looseness or abnormal noises due to a vehicle vibration and can assure a good assembling performance.